


Deck the halls

by Spaceprincealenko



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28213434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spaceprincealenko/pseuds/Spaceprincealenko
Summary: Kaidan had always hated untangling Christmas lights, this Christmas especially
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard
Kudos: 4





	Deck the halls

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a vine sad to say

Kaidan sighed, silently resigning himself to his fate. It was the same thing every year, for some ungodly reason he was always tasked with untangling the Christmas lights. It used to mean helping his dad but as he got older and would visit for Christmas the responsibility was his alone and he couldn't help but think his dad was just training him so he could one day do it himself and while he was good at it, it didn't mean he liked doing it. 

Especially now that he has kids of his own, he'd much rather be outside with them but he'd feel even worse if he dumped that responsibility on Daisy instead, so here he was alone in the living room, untangling Christmas lights yet again.

Daisy shivered as she came back inside, holding their daughter, wiping her boots off on the door mat "Darling you should come outside with us, those can wait."

"Daisy, I promise you if I don't do them today we will be a lightless household." 

"Is there not a quick way to do them?" She asked as she watched him pull the strands of lights. 

"There is, do you want to grab me a trash bag?"

Confused by the request, Daisy handed Mollie to him and went into the kitchen to grab him one "Sure?" 

Kaidan sat and played with their daughter until she came back "Anything else?" She still failed to see how that was going to help but wasn't going to question it.

"Oliver's baseball bat." He replied as he continued to play peek-a-boo with Mollie.

"His….what?" Daisy sighed "oh, I get it now."

"I could throw them on the tree but I don't think that's the look we're going for." 

"Not exactly…." Daisy knew him well enough to know that if he was really annoyed he wouldn't have a sense of humor about it but she still felt bad.

Kaidan placed a small kiss on Mollie's nose, making her giggle as he handed her back to Daisy "I'm kidding love." 

"I could instead, it's not like you get a lot of downtime with the kids thanks to the council."

Daisy was right he didn't, downside of being a spectre but he was there for the twins' first Christmas and he intended to be there for Mollie's. The council didn't understand but he didn't need them to "I took time off and aside from that I love you too much to let you do this." Kaidan said as he continued to tug at the strings of lights. 

"If you're sure…."

Kaidan nodded "I'm sure, if I'm lucky I'll be able to join you soon."

"I hope so, the twins want to ice skate and you're better at it than me." Daisy said as she walked back outside, leaving him alone with a box of tangled Christmas lights and new found determination to get them untangled.

\--------  
Kaidan finished wrapping the lights around the tree, they were going to decorate later but if he had to untangle the lights again he might lose his mind so he decided to just add the lights now and they could do the rest later. Kaidan plugged them in expecting his job to be done but nothing happened, he stared at the tree, blinking in disbelief, he knew what his next course of action would have to be but he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"For the love of…." He sighed walking up to the tree, slowly turning a couple bulbs hoping that would fix the issue and after a few failed attempts the white lights he had been struggling with for most the day finally shined on the tree. 

Daisy came in with their kids in tow, Oliver and David running upstairs chatting excitedly together. Kaidan stood in front of the tree, arms crossed and staring at the tree "The lights look nice love." Daisy said, coming up behind him.

Kaidan nodded, lips pursed "Mmmm."

"Everything okay?" 

"Yeah," Kaidan was quiet for a moment, "we're getting a pre-lit tree next year." He stated plainly before turning around and walking over to light the fireplace. 

"Fair enough." Daisy walked over to the stairs "I'm going to put Mollie down for a nap, I'll be back soon." Kaidan yawned as he closed the screen, keeping the fire contained. Rubbing his eyes he took a seat on the couch, it wasn't like him to get tired so easily but wrestling with lights could be draining. 

Daisy took a seat next to him when she returned, running her hand through his thick black hair "Hi honey." He said with a smile, she leaned in kissing him sweetly "I think Mollie had the right idea." 

Daisy chuckled "Nothing wrong with a nap every now and then." Kaidan nodded as he yawned again, she laid him down on the couch with his head in her lap "It's good to have you home." 

"I've missed you." It's not that he wasn't ever home but now he understood why some of his old navy friends didn't necessarily love deployments. Too many missed holidays or birthdays and he was worried it was going to become a habit if he didn't do something to fix it "I was thinking of sticking to my teaching job."

"With the Alliance?"

Kaidan nodded "Less time away from you and the kids."

"I'm sure Hackett would be happy to have you back." She leaned down to kiss his forehead, her hair cascading down to his face "missions aren't as fun though."

"I'm too old for fun, I don't want to miss Mollie and the twins growing up."

Daisy pulled away, smiling "I know darling." 

"After Christmas I'll…" another yawn "I'll go to the council and…" he fell asleep before he could finish his sentence and she watched as his breathing slowed. It was selfish but she was glad he was going to quit being a spectre, he didn't have anyone watching his back during those missions and she knew he could handle himself but the thought of him dying alone on a mission was too much to bear. 

David and Oliver came down stairs and immediately stilled upon seeing their parents, Daisy placed a finger against her lips, signaling them to be quiet and they mimicked the action with a nod. Slowly and quietly walking over to the brightly lit tree "Dad did a good job." Oliver quietly commented.

David nodded in agreement "I'm glad he's back," they turned to Daisy "is he going to be here for Christmas?" It pained her they had to ask and she knew if Kaidan was awake he'd be feeling worse about it.

"He will, I don't think your dad is going to be gone as much anymore."

Their faces lit up brighter than the tree behind them "Really?" 

Daisy nodded "Really, he misses you just as much as you miss him, trust me." They were finally living the life they dreamed of all those years ago, the one they had always been fighting for even if they didn't know it at the time and he was tired of dreaming about it on lonely spectre missions and fighting for something they had already won. Now all Kaidan wanted to do was sit back with Daisy and enjoy the life created together, the one they fought so hard for, the one they would do anything to keep.


End file.
